Scouring and Cleaning Glove with Internal Barrier

ABSTRACT

A cleaning glove of the present invention includes an outer component includes an external cleaning surface and an internal surface, and is designed to retain fluids such as a cleaning solution or detergent. The glove includes an interior component that is adjacent to the internal surface of the outer component. The interior component provides a fluid resistant barrier designed to prevent fluids or foreign substances from entering the interior space of the glove from the surrounding environment. An enclosure mechanism is provided on the proximal end of the glove in order to provide a secure, preferably fluid resistant, fit around a user&#39;s arm. The enclosure mechanism may fit around the user&#39;s wrist or forearm, depending on the length of the glove. The glove may also include an absorbent layer disposed between the external cleaning surface and internal surface of the outer component. Additionally, a lubricating agent may be added to the interior component of the glove to increase the ease with which a user may put on the glove.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Presently, users who desire to protect their hands from the abrasive, desiccating, or otherwise unwanted effects of cleaning detergents or liquids when performing cleaning tasks, such as, e.g., washing dishes, pots, kitchen utensils, spoons, forks, knives, and the like, or cleaning bathrooms, must wear certain protective gloves. Typical cleaning gloves consist of a water impermeable material such as rubber, and are designed to fit loosely around a person's hand, wrist, or forearm. Additionally, persons donning such gloves must use a separate sponge, scouring pad, cleaning tool, or other abrasive tool to actually apply detergent, or scour or scrub the item being cleaned because the prior art gloves do not include a surface that holds detergent nor do they include scouring or abrasive surfaces. And correspondingly, persons using sponges or scouring pads while cleaning must at the same time wear cleaning gloves if they desire to not come into direct contact with the water, detergent, or surface being cleaned. Thus the prior art cleaning gloves and sponges, scouring pads, and abrasive tools require the user to use more than one item, namely gloves in additional to the cleaning tool.

In addition to requiring the use of a separate cleaning tool other than the glove itself, the currently-available cleaning gloves suffer from other shortcomings. For example, cleaning gloves such as rubber gloves used for dish, kitchen, and bathroom cleaning are not form fitting, and therefore may allow water or other fluids or foreign agents to enter the interior of glove.

The sponges, scouring pads, and other abrasive tools that must be used in conjunction with cleaning gloves have their own shortcomings. These tools do not, for example, allow for efficient or effective cleaning in crevices or small spaces. The maneuverability of these tools is also is limited by the shape of the sponges, pads, or tools.

It is therefore desirable to provide for a cleaning glove that incorporates an internal layer that is water resistant or otherwise impermeable to fluids or foreign agents while also enabling the user to clean a surface or maneuver into a narrow or tight space with the equivalent of a sponge, scouring pad, or other abrasive tool without using a separate tool. Such an improved glove provides the cleaning and scouring aspects of a sponge, scouring pad, or other cleaning tool, along with the manual dexterity of a glove.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A scouring or cleaning glove having an internal barrier and cleaning or scouring surfaces is described herein that overcomes the limitations noted above.

One cleaning glove of the present invention includes an outer component having an external cleaning surface and an internal surface, wherein the external cleaning surface is configured to retain a cleaning solution, an interior component adjacent to the internal surface of the outer component, wherein the interior component comprises a fluid resistant barrier, and an enclosure mechanism disposed on a proximal end of the glove configured to provide a fluid resistant fit around a user's arm.

Another cleaning glove of the present invention includes an outer component having an external cleaning surface, an internal surface, and an absorbent layer disposed between the external cleaning surface and the internal surface, an interior component adjacent to the internal surface of the outer component, wherein the interior component comprises a fluid resistant barrier, and an enclosure mechanism disposed on a proximal end of the glove configured to provide a fluid resistant fit around a user's arm.

The present invention also includes a cleaning glove with an outer component having an external cleaning surface with a first texture and a second texture, and an internal surface, wherein the outer component comprises a fluid retaining material; an interior component adjacent to the internal surface of the outer component, wherein the interior component comprises a fluid resistant barrier; a lubricating agent disposed on the interior component; and an enclosure mechanism disposed on a proximal end of the glove configured to provide a fluid resistant fit around a user's arm.

Another cleaning glove of the present invention includes an integrated outer component and inner component comprising having an external cleaning surface with a first exterior surface having a first texture and a second exterior surface having a second texture; wherein the inner component comprises a fluid resistant barrier is integrally formed along an internal surface of the outer component by being applied in liquid form to the internal surface and allowed to harden; and wherein the outer component comprises a fluid retaining material; and an enclosure mechanism disposed on a proximal end of the glove configured to provide a fluid resistant fit around a user's arm.

One objective of the invention is to provide a cleaning glove that provides the user with the manual dexterity of a glove combined with the benefits of a sponge, scouring pad, or other cleaning tool without requiring the user to use a separate sponge, scouring pad, or other cleaning tool in addition to the glove itself.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a cleaning glove that provides a generally fluid impermeable or resistant internal barrier while at the same time providing integrated cleaning surfaces that are typically porous or otherwise retain fluids.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the presently described apparatus and method of its use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Illustrated in the accompanying drawings is at least one of the best mode embodiments of the present invention. In such drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a cleaning glove according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 illustrates first and second exterior surfaces of a cleaning glove according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 3( a) to 3(d) illustrate the closure mechanism for various embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a cleaning glove of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Turning to FIG. 1, a cleaning glove 100 of the present invention is illustrated. Compared to traditional household, kitchen, or janitorial rubber cleaning gloves, which are loose fitting, the cleaning glove 100 is more precisely sized by being more closely contoured to users' hands. The glove 100 thus provides a form fitting alternative to standard cleaning rubber gloves and allows users to better maneuver their hands while using the glove 100. As will be described, the glove 100 incorporates scrubbing or cleaning surfaces not present on current cleaning gloves, thus allowing a user to perform tasks wearing the glove 100 without having to also grasp a separate sponge, scouring pad, or cleaning tool such as a scrub brush.

The cleaning glove 100 includes an outer component 110 and an interior component 120. The interior component 120 is located on, and lines, the internal surface of the outer component 110. The interior component 120 may be attached to the outer component 110 by any suitable method, such as sewing the components together, or using an adhesive to form a bond between the components. In one embodiment, the interior component 120 is integrally formed on the outer component 110 by being molded onto the outer component 110. In this embodiment, the material comprising the interior component 120 is applied in liquid form on the internal surface of the outer component 110 and allowed to harden.

The interior component 120 comprises a water or fluid impermeable or resistant material. As a result, the interior component 120 forms a barrier that prevents water, fluids (including but not limited to bodily fluids), or foreign agents (including but not limited to microorganisms and bacteria) from entering the interior of the glove 100 from the surrounding environment. The material used for the interior component 120 is preferably pliable such that users of the glove 100 will be able to move their fingers and hands with precision when wearing the glove 100. Suitable materials for the interior component 120 include but are not limited to natural rubber, silicone, latex, and other polymers such as isoprene, nitrile rubber, vinyl, neoprene, styrene butadiene, styrene ethylene butadiene, or other synthetic rubbers. Because the interior component 120 is preferably resistant to both fluids and foreign agents, the glove 100 is suitable not only for household cleaning tasks but also in hospital environments and other circumstances where a user desires to handle or clean a patient, person, or surface without coming into contact with a fluid (such as a bodily fluid) or a foreign agent.

In one embodiment of the glove 100, a lubricating agent such as cornstarch or talcum powder is disposed, inside the glove 100 and along the surface of the interior component 120 in order to allow a user to more easily don the glove 100. In another embodiment, the interior space of the glove 100 does not include a lubricating agent. Because of the absence of a lubricating agent, this latter embodiment is more hypoallergenic relative to the former embodiment that includes the lubricating agent, and is particularly suited for cleanroom environments or for users who are sensitive to potential irritants.

The outer component 110 of the glove 100 includes an external cleaning surface and an internal surface. The outer component 110 is preferably comprised of a material that is able to provide a cleaning or scouring surface while also retaining detergent or other cleaning solutions. As a result, the glove 100 dispenses with requiring a user to grasp a separate cleaning tool, such as a sponge, scouring pad, or cleaning tool, because the glove 100 provides an integrated cleaning surface that is capable of retaining detergent. Materials that may be incorporated in the outer component 110 include cotton, microfibers, polyesters, synthetic fibers, steel wool, plastic mesh, or other materials suitable for providing a scrubbing or scouring surface. These materials are preferably incorporated into the outer component 110 in a manner that enables the outer component 110 to retain fluids or detergent, such as by being impregnated with a detergent, having sufficient density to enable the outer component 110 to retain fluids or detergent, or being used in conjunction with an absorbent layer such as a thin layer of foam, fiber, or polymer that increases the ability for the outer component 110 to retain fluids or detergent. In an embodiment of the glove 100 that includes an absorbent layer, that layer is sufficiently thin such that the flexibility of the glove 100 is not compromised, i.e., a user's manual dexterity while wearing and using the glove 100 is substantially the same as using a glove 100 that does not incorporate an absorbent layer in the outer component 110.

Different embodiments of the gloves of the present invention may incorporate first and second exterior surfaces of varying degrees of texture. For example, a first exterior surface 112, which in FIG. 1 is illustrated as the surface that is on the top of the user's hand, and a second exterior surface that is on the palm of the user's hand (not shown in FIG. 1) may have a texture that approximates that of a scouring pad such as a BRILLO pad. Such an embodiment would allow a user to apply a high degree of abrasive action to an item being cleaned. As another example, the first exterior surface 112 and the second exterior surface may have a texture that is sufficiently fine such that the risk of scratching the item being cleaned is reduced. Levels of texture between the aforementioned examples may be implemented depending on the degree of abrasive power that is desired, i.e., from non-scratch at one end of the spectrum to highly abrasive at the other end of the spectrum.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the first exterior surface 112 and the second exterior surface of the outer component 110 incorporates cleaning or scouring surfaces of the same texture. In another embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the outer component 210 of the glove 200 incorporates a first exterior surface 212 and a second exterior surface 214, with the first exterior surface 212 having a different texture than the second exterior surface 214. In one variation, the second exterior surface 214 presents a more abrasive surface relative to the first exterior surface 212. Alternatively, the first exterior surface 212 may incorporate a more abrasive surface relative to the second exterior surface 214.

The gloves of the present invention incorporate a form-fitting proximal end, such as the proximal end 122 on the glove 100 of FIG. 1 or the proximal end 222 on the glove 200 of FIG. 2. The proximal end 122, 222 provides a substantially water or fluid tight fit or a fit that slows the rate at which fluid or water enters the interior space of the glove 100, 200. In one embodiment is positioned to grasp the user near the wrist area. In other embodiments, the position at which the proximal end 122, 222 grasps the user may be farther up the user's arm, depending on the desired length of the glove 100, 200. For example, FIG. 4 illustrates a glove 400 that, like other embodiments of the present invention, includes an outer component 410, an exterior surface 412, and an interior component 420. Of particular note, glove 400 includes a proximal end 422 that is elongated relative to the proximal ends 122 and 222 of gloves 100 and 200. Thus, the proximal end 422 of glove 400 is designed to fit a longer portion of the user's arm than gloves 100 and 200.

As noted, the fit of the proximal end of a glove of the present invention is preferably sufficiently tight so as to prevent water or other fluids from entering the interior space of the gloves, or else significantly reduce the rate at which such fluids are able to enter the interior space.

As shown in FIGS. 3( a) to 3(d), various different components may be used as the closure mechanism for the proximal end of the gloves of the present invention, so long as the component provides a sufficiently tight fit such that fluids are prevented from entering the interior space, or the rate at which fluids are able to enter the interior space is reduced relative to a loose fitting proximal end of a glove such as a traditional rubber kitchen or household glove. Suitable components to incorporate into the proximal end of the gloves of the present invention to provide for such a secure fit, which by way of non-limiting examples are shown on gloves 100 a to 100 d of the present invention in FIGS. 3( a) to 3(d), include elastic bands 122 a as illustrated on the glove 100 a of FIG. 3( a), drawstrings 122 b as illustrated on the glove 100 b of FIG. 3( b), hook and loop fasteners 122 c such as, e.g., VELCRO fasteners as illustrated on glove 100 c of FIG. 3( c), and snap buttons 122 d as illustrated on glove 100 d of FIG. 3( d). Additionally, the enclosure on the proximal end of a glove of the present invention may be formed as a series of elastic pleats, as shown on proximal end 422 of glove 400 in FIG. 4.

The above described drawing figures illustrate the described invention and method of use in at least one of its preferred, best mode embodiment, which is further defined in detail in the following description. Those having ordinary skill in the art may be able to make alterations and modifications to what is described herein without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, it should be understood that what is illustrated is set forth only for the purposes of example and should not be taken as a limitation on the scope of the present apparatus and its method of use.

The enablements described in detail above are considered novel over the prior art of record and are considered critical to the operation of at least one aspect of the invention and to the achievement of the above described objectives. The words used in this specification to describe the instant embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification: structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word or words describing the element.

The definitions of the words or drawing elements described herein are meant to include not only the combination of elements that are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material, or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements described and its various embodiments or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim.

Changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalents within the scope intended and its various embodiments. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. This disclosure is thus meant to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted, and also what incorporates the essential ideas.

The scope of this description is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims and it is made clear, here, that the named inventor believes that the claimed subject matter is what is intended to be patented. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A cleaning glove comprising: an outer component comprising: an internal surface, and an external cleaning surface configured to retain a cleaning solution and having a first exterior surface comprising an abrasive material, and a second exterior surface that is finer than the first exterior surface; an interior component adjacent to the internal surface of the outer component, wherein the interior component comprises a fluid resistant barrier; and an enclosure mechanism disposed on a proximal end of the glove configured to provide a fluid resistant fit around a user's arm.
 2. The cleaning glove of claim 1, wherein the abrasive material comprises steel wool.
 3. The cleaning glove of claim 1, wherein the second exterior surface comprises a material chosen from the group consisting of cotton, microfiber, polyester, synthetic fiber, and plastic mesh.
 4. The cleaning glove of claim 1, wherein the enclosure mechanism comprises a mechanism chosen from the group consisting of an elastic band, a drawstring, a hook and loop fastener, and a snap button.
 5. The cleaning glove of claim 1, further comprising a lubricating agent disposed on the interior component.
 6. The cleaning glove of claim 1, wherein the interior component comprises a material chosen from the group consisting of latex, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone, isoprene, nitrile rubber, vinyl, neoprene, styrene butadiene, and styrene ethylene butadiene.
 7. A cleaning glove comprising: an outer component comprising: an internal surface, an external cleaning surface having a first exterior surface comprising an abrasive material, and a second exterior surface that is finer than the first exterior surface, and an absorbent layer disposed between the external cleaning surface and the internal surface; an interior component adjacent to the internal surface of the outer component, wherein the interior component comprises a fluid resistant barrier; and an enclosure mechanism disposed on a proximal end of the glove configured to provide a fluid resistant fit around a user's arm.
 8. The cleaning glove of claim 7, wherein the absorbent layer comprises a material chosen from the group consisting of foam, fiber, and polymer.
 9. The cleaning glove of claim 7, wherein the abrasive material comprises steel wool.
 10. The cleaning glove of claim 7, wherein the second exterior surface of the external cleaning surface comprises a material chosen from the group consisting of cotton, microfiber, polyester, synthetic fiber, and plastic mesh.
 11. The cleaning glove of claim 7, further comprising a lubricating agent disposed on the interior component.
 12. The cleaning glove of claim 7, wherein the interior component comprises a material chosen from the group consisting of latex, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone, isoprene, nitrile rubber, vinyl, neoprene, styrene butadiene, and styrene ethylene butadiene.
 13. A cleaning glove comprising: an enclosure mechanism disposed on a proximal end of the glove configured to provide a fluid resistant fit around a user's aim; and an integrated outer component and interior component comprising: an external cleaning surface with a first exterior surface having a first texture and comprising an abrasive material, and a second exterior surface having a second texture that is finer than the first texture; wherein the interior component comprises a fluid resistant barrier integrally formed along an internal surface of the outer component by being applied in liquid form to the internal surface and allowed to harden; and wherein the outer component comprises a fluid retaining material.
 14. The cleaning glove of claim 13, wherein the interior component comprises a fluid resistant barrier.
 15. The cleaning glove of claim 13, further comprising a lubricating agent disposed on the interior component.
 16. The cleaning glove of claim 15, wherein the lubricating agent comprises a material chosen from the group consisting of cornstarch and talcum powder.
 17. The cleaning glove of claim 13, wherein the enclosure mechanism comprises a mechanism chosen from the group consisting of an elastic band, a drawstring, a hook and loop fastener, and a snap button.
 18. The cleaning glove of claim 13, wherein the second exterior surface of the external cleaning surface comprises a material chosen from the group consisting of cotton, microfiber, polyester, synthetic fiber, and plastic mesh.
 19. The cleaning glove of claim 13, wherein the abrasive material comprises steel wool.
 20. The cleaning glove of claim 13, wherein the interior component comprises a material chosen from the group consisting of latex, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone, isoprene, nitrile rubber, vinyl, neoprene, styrene butadiene, and styrene ethylene butadiene. 